This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7119(a) on Patent Application No. DE 101 52 996.1 filed in Germany on Oct. 26, 2001, which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motor controller for a motor with a feedback potentiometer, preferably for central air valve actuation.
2. Description of the Background Art
In the field of climate control, for example for utility vehicles and motor vehicles, the air ducts in heating, air conditioning, and/or ventilation systems have valves to control the flow of air or water. These valves are adjusted either mechanically, e.g. by means of Bowden cables or flexible shafts, or by using motors.
While it is common to use a motor for each valve, a device for adjusting air regulating valves in air conditioners that has cam plates is known from DE 197 16 229 A1, thus making it possible to adjust at least two valves with just one motor.
Also known, from DE 196 07 652 A1, is a transmission for controlling air valves of a heating and/or air conditioning system that only needs one motor to be able to control multiple valves.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a simple motor controller for a motor with a feedback potentiometer.
The invention is based on the concept of employing a continuous rotation potentiometer and using specially designed control electronics to control a motor with the continuous rotation potentiometer. In the control electronics for the motor controller, the angular difference between an adjusted control potentiometer and the motor feedback potentiometer is determined, in order to determine therefrom the shortest adjustment path to the chosen setpoint position for the motor when the angular difference is greater than 180xc2x0.
An undefined region of the feedback potentiometer, which in continuous rotation potentiometers is known to result from the lifting of the wiper at the transition from the beginning to the end of the potentiometer track (or vice versa), is negligibly small and is compensated for by the control electronics.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.